Analysis of an Image/Graphic. Explanation of Denotation and Connotation. Reliability, Utility (usefulness) Has examples. Easily followed. Step by step analysis.

1. The “Denotation” and “Connotation”
of
Image/Graphic Analysis

2. “Denotation & Connotation”
in language analysis
Words are not limited to ONE SINGLE MEANING; most have more than one.
These more that one ‘MEANINGS’ are categorised as either DENOTATIVE or
CONNOTATIVE.
DENOTATION
• Refers to the ‘literal meaning’ of the word; i.e. the DICTIONARY MEANING.
• It is the ‘explicit definition’ as listed in the dictionary.
CONNOTATION
• Refers to the ‘associations’ or the ‘emotional suggestions’ that are CONNECTED to a
certain word.
• The ‘association’ or ‘set of associations’ that a word usually brings to mind.
Example: HOME
DENOTATIVE MEANING
A place where one lives; a residence.
CONNOTATIVE MEANING
A place of security comfort and family.
Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ says: “There is no place like home.” – she is not referring to the
DENOTATION but to the CONNOTATION of the word ‘HOME’; in other words the EMOTIONS that
‘HOME’ evokes for her.

3. “Denotation & Connotation”
in image/graphic analysis
Images/graphics are not limited to ONE SINGLE EMOTION or
PERSPECTIVE; most have more than one of each.
These more that one ‘EMOTIONS or PERSPECTIVES’ are categorised
as either DENOTATIVE or CONNOTATIVE.
DENOTATION = Reality (of the image/graphic)
• Refers to ‘What does one see in the image/graphic
presented to him/her?’
• The ‘translation’ of light, line, shape, form – ‘denote’
REALITY.
CONNOTATION = Emotion/understanding (of the image/graphic)
• Refers to ‘How one is affected by what the image/graphic
suggests?’
• The ‘emotion/response’ evoked when one views the
image/graphic is the CONNOTATIVE MEANING.

4. “Denotation & Connotation”
in image/graphic analysis
What can you see?
• People?
• Objects?
Describe…
• Appearance?
• Expressions?
What…
• Are they doing?
• Aren’t they
doing?
Setting…
• Can we tell?
• Can we assume?
What questions
come to mind?
• Where are
they?
• When are
they?
• Who are they?
• What is their
life like?
• Education?
• Status in
community?
Denotation:
What can’t you
see?
• Authority?
• Parents?
What …
• Should they be
doing?
REMEMBER:
An image/graphic
REVEALS to us
what ‘its creator’
wants us TO SEE.
But, WHAT an
image/graphic
DOESN’T REVEAL
to us can be more
REVEALING and
TELLING and the
actual MESSAGE
the creator is
trying to get
across.

5. “Denotation & Connotation”
in image/graphic analysis
Connotation:
• What ‘emotion’ is evoked in you when
looking at the photograph?
• Is it an advertisement ?
• Are the ‘boys’ in a gang?
• Are they homeless?
• What do you want to do with these boys?
Maybe…
• Teach them a lesson?
• Preach to them the ills of smoking?
• Take those ‘caps’ off?
• Change their dress sense?
• Did the photographer just want
to photograph ‘3 boys’?
• Was there something more that
he wanted to say?
• What ‘emotions’ is he trying to
evoke?

6. “Denotation & Connotation”
in image/graphic analysis
“Newsies at Skeeter’s Branch” (1910)
Photographer: Lewis Hines
Background reading on Lewis Hines and
this photograph.
Newspaper Article on Lewis Hines
Newspaper Article: Lewis and his Work
(2013)
Photo Analysis of the Photograph
Photo Analysis of "Newsies at Skeeter's
Branch“
Connotation vs Denotation in terms of
this photograph
Connotation vs Denotation (plus visual)

7. “Denotation & Connotation”
in image/graphic analysis
“Newsies at Skeeter’s Branch” (1910)
Photographer: Lewis Hines
• Lewis Hine's photographs for the National
Child Labour Committee helped bring in
laws protecting youngsters .
• He toured America to capture children at
work in fields, mines, factories or making a
living on the streets.
He is most famous for his stunning images of
men working hundreds of feet up on the
Empire State Building.
But photographer Lewis Hine's real legacy is
the collection of pictures he took of children in
factories, fields and sweatshops, which
highlighted the appalling conditions they were
made to work in at the beginning of the 20th
Century.
The images, taken for the National Child Labour
Committee, shamed America and helped
change the laws surrounding child workers.”
By Becky Evans
“The photos that changed America's child labour
laws: Harrowing images of children as young as
three forced to do back-breaking work in fields,
factories and mines.

8. What is the message?
Title: ‘Nightmare Waiting List’
Cartoonist: David Low
September, 1938

9. What do you see?
• The German Flag.
• The Swastika.
• Hitler in full uniform.
• Hitler seems to be standing on the world.
• Hitler striking a pose.
• Hitler holding a paper/poster saying: “THE - All Germans everywhere are mine. - IDEA”
• Behind Hitler is a row of ‘grim reapers’ holding placards.
• All placards have the word ‘CRISIS’.
• Stating a few: POLISH GERMANS CRISIS, BRITISH EMPIRE GERMANS CRISIS etc.
Title: ‘Nightmare Waiting List’
Cartoonist: David Low
September, 1938

10. Format, Origin, Title & Date
- if known -
Title: ‘Nightmare Waiting List’
Cartoonist: David Low
September, 1938
FORMAT:
• Cartoon
ORIGIN:
• Cartoonist: David Low
TITLE:
• ‘Nightmare Waiting List’
DATE:
• September, 1938

11. Denotation & Connotation
- What do you see? – How is the audience affected? -
DENOTATIVE MEANING CONNOTATIVE MEANING
HITLER in full uniform striking a pose. HITLER is being aggressive. Striking fear in us.
HITLER in full uniform striking a pose.
HITLER holding a paper/poster “THE -
ALL GERMANS EVERYWHERE ARE MINE -
IDEA”.
Behind HITLER is a line of ‘grim reapers’
with placards stating crisis in countries
all over the world.
HITLER holding a paper/poster: “THE – ALL
GERMANS EVERYWHERE ARE MINE – IDEA”.
HITLER has the idea to rule Germans wherever in
the world they live. He maybe using this excuse to
‘conquer’ the world.
“Grim Reapers” holding placards expressing CRISIS
and Germans are everywhere.
‘Grim Reapers’ represent DEATH. The DEATH that
Nazism can bring. Death to what we believe in.

12. What is the message?
Title: ‘Nightmare Waiting List’
Cartoonist: David Low
September, 1938
The bulk of people in Czechoslovakia were Czechs or
Slovaks. The Sudeten Germans did not like being the
minority group and wanted to be in a German
speaking nation.
In 1931 a Sudeten German Party was formed. This
party had one main aim: to bring the region under
the control of Germany. It organised protests and
gained a lot of support from Sudeten Germans. Once
Hitler was elected, he funded the party and it grew
in size and strength.
… As a consequence of the heightened tension
international diplomacy ensued with Neville
Chamberlain leading the negotiations with Hitler,
which culminated in the Munich Agreement which
ceded Sudetenland to Germany.
Click here for source
It is September 1938 – The Sudetenland Crisis.
Sudetenland was a region that was ethnically
German. Prior to the first world war the region
had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Peace Settlements placed the region within
the newly created state of Czechoslovakia.

13. Reliability & Utility (Usefulness)
- Keep these in mind-
What is meant by RELIABIITY and UTILITY?
• RELIABILITY
This is asking whether the source can be TRUSTED.
• UTILITY
This is asking whether the source is USEFUL – what value it has.
• RELIABILITY can be brought into UTILITY (Useful).
The reliability of a source is important in making a judgment on its UTILITY
(Usefulness).
However, UTILITY is not part of RELIABILITY.

14. Reliability & Utility (Usefulness)
- Keep these in mind-
Note:
• BIAS is an element that all sources contain; whether ‘positive’ or ‘negative’
• NO SOURCE is ever completely ‘reliable’ or ‘unreliable’.
• A SOURCE may NOT be very ‘reliable’ but it can be very ‘useful’.
• A SOURCE can BE very ‘useful’ in telling the viewer about ‘values and attitudes’ of the
time.
Make an OVERVIEW of the image/graphic as a RELIABLE SOURCE
1. WHO created the image/graphic?
2. WHEN and WHERE was it created?
3. WHY was it created? - message/audience
4. Is the source BIASED (does it present a one - sided perspective)?
i. Note - the more biased the source the less reliable it may be.
ii. Give examples (ideas, images, text) from the source; objects/people seen and
unseen.
5. In your judgment what is the overall reliability of the source.

15. Reliability & Utility (Usefulness)
- Keep these in mind-
Make an OVERVIEW of the image/graphic as a USEFUL SOURCE
1. What are the USES (strengths) of this source? In other words – What can the source tell
us about ‘the values and attitudes’ of the time?
2. What are the PROBLEMS (limitations) in using this source?
3. What other sources would you like to access to check the trustworthiness of this
source?
4. How might our own beliefs and knowledge affect the way we interpret the source?
5. How does the language used in the source provide information about its usefulness? –
informative/advertisement/tone
6. Make a judgment – rate the usefulness of the source and explain this judgment? Will
you be using this source in your research?

16. “Bibliography – Resources –
Webography”
• ABOUT.COM - Grammar and Composition
• Cartoon: Nightmare Waiting List
• The Sudetenland Crisis - 1938
• University of Fu Jen University Department of English Language and Literature
• The Writing Centre - University of Ottowa
Assembled: A. Ballas